<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Misfortune's Keep by jaykinnie</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27700081">The Misfortune's Keep</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaykinnie/pseuds/jaykinnie'>jaykinnie</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lego Ninjago</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, basically a more detailed and mature interpretation of skybound, descriptions of violence, will add more tags and the story progresses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 03:48:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,636</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27700081</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jaykinnie/pseuds/jaykinnie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He remembered, he remembered it all, and so did she. How could they forget the 'silky-voiced seducer' and how an erased timeline would effect them for the rest of their lives?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nya/Jay Walker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>56</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Rooftops</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm so excited to get this story back up again after some minor tweaks. Please let me know if you liked or disliked anything. Any form of criticism is greatly appreciated.</p><p>I'll add warnings for more mature subject matter of every chapter in the beginning :)</p><p>WARNINGS FOR THIS CHAPTER: crude language.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The pounding of his heart in his ears was almost as loud as his feet crushing the leaves and twigs underneath them as he ran as fast as his body would allow him to.</p><p>He could feel his limbs tremble out of fear? exhaustion? he couldn't tell. There was no time to even think about the cause of this feeling.</p><p>He had to keep on running without a clear plan or even a sense of direction. He had no idea where he was running.</p><p>He felt even more disoriented after he let out a high pitched yelp and fell to the cold, wet ground. His ankle felt like it was exploding as a sharp pain shot up his right leg.</p><p>He was injured.</p><p>All alone.</p><p>He didn't even know where he was, but he had to keep on moving. He had to keep on moving.</p><p>With a groan escaping his lips, he dragged his shaking body, covered in dirt, to his feet.</p><p>...</p><p>Jay was the one who reluctantly pulled back from their kiss. Just a bit, at least. Just so that he can look her in the eye. Just so that he could reassure himself that what he was seeing was real. He couldn't be dead, could he?</p><p>Jay was far from being religious in the slightest, but he knew that his sins would send him to one place only. Hell was far away from the joy he felt when he saw that Nya was alive. She was alive. Had his own living hell finally come to an end?</p><p>Their foreheads rested on each other. His hands found their way to her hips and her arms rested on his shoulders. Time around them stopped and Nya opened her eyes to meet two eyes, deep blue eyes staring into hers.</p><p>Jay's gentle breath was warm on her skin, just as she had remembered it being.</p><p>His eyes and gentle breath were just as she remembered them when the two lovers were in infatuated with each other years ago when they were still young, dumb and in love.</p><p>They were the same, dark and mesmerising shade of royal blue; the colour was worn by only the richest and most powerful kings and sultans.</p><p>Nya was forced to come back to reality when she realised that Jay's shrunken pupils were not the usual passionate eyes as she remembered them. They were filled to the brim with fear, confusion and pain. He was no longer excited to see her alive like he was mere seconds ago. He was scared and overwhelmed.</p><p>And so was she.</p><p>Seeing Jay scared and vulnerable was a quite unsettling sight. It was not the 'spur of the moment' fear if he got scared suddenly, but rather a fear that she couldn't unravel.</p><p>This is what he did to her. He made her head spin. Jay Walker was an open book, but a very complex open book at that.</p><p>And soon, the same, horror-stricken look made it's way to Nya's face as well. All of the events from the past 3 months crashed into her like a dark, murky wave, sending a harsh shiver down her spine.</p><p>They stood still, their breathing like that of a panting dog and their hearts still pounding. She watched as Jay's eyes filled with tears as the breathing on her face came out in rapid huffs. He blinked for the first time, his long lashes heavy with tears. His face scrunched into different expressions within as he tried to wrap his mind around everything.</p><p>"Oh fuck, what the fuck I'm so sorry-"</p><p>"Shh, it's going to be okay, Jay. I'm okay, you're okay," Nya softly whispered and wrapped her arms further around him, bringing him in for a well-deserved hug.</p><p>He buried his face between her jaw and her shoulder, just as he always did so many years ago before the whole 'Perfect Match' disaster broke the two apart. He felt right at home in her embrace.</p><p>"Just breathe, Jay."</p><p>I still haven't apologised</p><p>She was in just as much shock as he was. Not too long ago, she was dead in Jay's arms after being splashed with nothing more than a drop of the nasty green liquid. Her chest still stung, but she didn't know if it was because of the poison that took her life not too long ago, or because she was on the verge of tears as herself.</p><p>She got lost in his hair and in the scent of rooibos. The saying that you never truly appreciate what you have until you've lost it, was very, very true.</p><p>Jay and Nya were a mess. Not just because of their current situation, but their relationship as well. It was a mess concocted out of poor communication, selfish intent and not understanding boundaries. They were stupid kids being stupid. The atmosphere was always uncomfortable, even if not one of the two were willing to admit it. They didn't forget; how could they?</p><p>If only they communicated better. If only if only if only.</p><p>if only I grabbed his stupid hand</p><p>She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the rest of her team surround them, as well as the clapping of helicopter blades in the sky. Jay flinched as the clapping sound got louder.</p><p>He made no noise, frozen in fear. She stepped in front of him.</p><p>Cole tried to step closer to see if his best friend was okay but stopped himself when Nya stood in front of him. Jay was quiet, his mouth shut and his body frozen.</p><p>She ignored her brother's questioning glare and covered her eyes with a hand as the helicopter landed a few meters from them, spewing dirt and air in all directions.</p><p>Nya glared at Dareth, not hiding her anger in the slightest. The scruffy man wore a silly smirk, as he usually did.</p><p>"Did I interrupt something?" He slurred, playfully glancing at the two lovers who - she realised this when she looked around her - were displayed in a tight embrace on large screens for everyone in Ninjago City to see. The large technological advancements in Ninjago City had its benefits, but at this moment, Nya couldn't hate it more.</p><p>The moment where Nya smashed her lips on to his was displayed on these screens. Such an intimate moment filled with indescribable emotions that no one would understand, were displayed for millions to see.</p><p>Nya felt her face warm up out of pure embarrassment and anger. She was utterly and entirely embarrassed. The rest of Ninjago would probably have the same reaction as her brother did.</p><p>Not anger, but rather confusion. What was all the drama for if this were to happen? Was the drama merely a cover-up?</p><p>The only people she could think of being angry was Jay's fanbase, especially after the story of their relationship ending came out. They would probably think up some mad conspiracy like they usually would.</p><p>Jay had a relatively small fanbase. A fanbase with a very odd sense of humour, like Jay's. A fanbase with tendencies of being overprotective of someone they idolise. They were like a cult, almost. They just loved to troll the other ninja with jokes only those part of the fanbase would understand.</p><p>Jay's fanbase and Nya's never got along. Except a few who would ship the two relentlessly, there was always some drama between the two sub-communities on Twitter. Arguments going back and forth about their breakup, despite the fact that the two ninja didn't want to talk about their relationship at all.</p><p>"Can we just go home?" She asked, ignoring Dareth's smirk and her team's confusing stares.</p><p>It wasn't just every day that Nya would kiss Jay Walker himself on a hospital rooftop, not to mention her doing airjitzu in the progress.</p><p>Strange occurrences happened often. It was Ninjago, after all, but seeing Nya show romantic affection, any affection, towards Jay was completely unheard of.</p><p>Everyone knew how annoyed she got with Jay. It was a common occurrence that would happen daily in front of their own eyes. The interviews and basic attitude she had toward him only fuelled the bizarre nature of this interaction.</p><p>It happened months, no, minutes ago, considering that the horrific occurrences they had lived through were no more and never happened. They were back where they were months ago.</p><p>She shoved him off and declined his help, but to the others, it was only mere seconds later that she pulled him down for a passionate kiss.</p><p>Jay and Nya, however, knew what happened. They remembered every painful second of it.</p><p>"Nya, what's -" Kai started asking before Nya sternly cut him off by thrusting a finger in his direction.</p><p>"Take us home, now," She pleaded, gripping Jay's stiff hand to keep him close to her, "We need to go home."</p><p>"You better explain this, Nya," He groaned.</p><p>"I will, Kai. Please take us home first. Please," She pleaded.</p><p>Kai reluctantly nodded and decided to not pressure his obviously upset sister.</p><p>"Well, wan' a lift?" Dareth asked and swung his arm around to point to his helicopter.</p><p>"Please," She said through clenched teeth.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Scars</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Lloyd sees something he wishes he didn't and begs Nya for help.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you all SO SO much for all the lovely comments from the previous chapter! </p><p>I think this story may be a bit of a slow burn... at least in the beginning. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, nonetheless. I have around 4 more chapters prewritten from when I wrote this fic around a year and a half ago. I only do editing :) Some chapters go through a lot of reconstruction etc.</p><p>I'll try to do updates weekly. I'm close to wrapping up final exams for the school year anyway.</p><p>Big shout out to Grimbeak. Lloyd's scene was highly inspired by Cole's scene in their fic, "Memories in Shades of Blue". I would highly suggest it to those who love Skybound related fics :) </p><p>WARNINGS : descriptions of scars, harsh language.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There it was again, the dreaded pacing back and forth. </p><p>Lloyd sat up in on his futon, his kakebuton pulled up to his chest. </p><p>Jay was doing it again. Jay paced back and forth during the night and his footsteps could be heard in Lloyd's room, due to Jay fighting to have the only room upstairs after they had the opportunity to stay in separate rooms in the Temple of Airjitzu. This room just happened to be above Lloyd's room. </p><p>Lloyd got up and closed the door carefully behind him. Taking a left, passing Cole's room across from his and going up the stairs, Lloyd started to worry. What was up with Jay? Ever since Nya and Jay had a moment back on the stupid hospital rooftop, the two have been acting so strange. </p><p>Jay's lights were off and his back and forth pacing could still be heard. With a sigh and without knocking, Lloyd creaked the door open to have a peep at what he was doing. This has happened before. Lloyd would walk in, make Jay go back to bed. A few days later, Lloyd would once again walk in and make Jay go back to bed.</p><p>"I just had a nightmare. Don't worry about me, Lloyd. You shouldn't have to worry about your older brother, kid."</p><p>"I'm not a kid."</p><p>"Go to bed, Lloyd. I'm sorry for waking you up."</p><p>It was a common reoccurrence. The same feeling of speaking to a wall. A wall that needed serious help, but was not letting Lloyd help him. Lloyd isn't great at similes, or metaphors, or whatever! Jay needed help and Lloyd was determined to help him.</p><p>Not this night, however. </p><p> Lloyd was definitely not expecting to see what he saw next. Jay's room was as tidy as usual. His kakebuton lay on a heap on his futon. His blinds were open and the full moon was shining harshly into the room.</p><p>That's how Lloyd got confronted with what he witnessed next. </p><p>Jay was still pacing back and forth shirtless. The moonlight illuminated what looked like scars? Thick, white, jagged lines crossed paths with tinier ones all over Jay's once soft and scarless back.</p><p>Lloyd had never seen scars this bad. Sure, they all had scars here and there. It was bound to happen with the job they were doing.</p><p>But these were not accidental. These were TONS of scars overlapping scars, overlapping more scars. It just got worse as Jay turned around after he heard Lloyd's horrified gasp.</p><p>Some wrapped around his side and sat on his chest, his stomach moving to his hips...</p><p>They were like silver threads illuminated by the moonlight. </p><p>"Jay, what happened to you?" Lloyd whispered and covered his mouth with his hand. He was horrified. What in FSM's name happened to Jay. How did this happen? </p><p>"Lloyd," Jay whispered and moved his hands up to cover his exposed chest, "fuck." </p><p>Lloyd moved forward, shutting the door behind him after Jay moved to his cupboard and threw on a shirt while Lloyd stared at him with wide, horror-filled eyes. </p><p>"Jay, what is going on?" Lloyd said, fighting back tears. He was scared; confused.</p><p>Jay said nothing and reappeared in front of him, now wearing a long shirt. He didn't make eye contact and opted to stare at the wooden floor instead.</p><p>"Don't tell anyone about this."</p><p>"Why won't you tell me what the hell is going on? Jay, I'm so damn confused and scared! Why won't you just tell me what's going on with you, with Nya!" Lloyd got louder as he started crying more, grabbing onto Jay's shirt.</p><p>Jay flinched but tried to keep a straight face.</p><p>"Keep your voice down, Lloyd," Jay sighed, "Listen, I just can't tell you right now. I just need you to promise that you won't tell anyone. Please, Lloyd. I can't right now," Jay pleaded.</p><p>Lloyd swallowed.</p><p>"Fine, I won't tell. I love you, bro. I care for you and I'm so confused and scared- "</p><p>"Shh, let me take you to bed. I'm okay."</p><p>Lloyd said nothing as Jay walked him to his room. Jay went to his room soon after and the pacing stopped.</p><p>Lloyd spent a total of 30 minutes under his kakebuton thinking about what he just saw before he got back up and went to Nya's room. This stops now. The secrets had to stop.</p><p>...</p><p>Nya finally managed to sleep in her own futon after about three weeks of being depended off of Jay like a baby. She - as well as Jay - would be kept awake from dusk to dawn by horrific and realistic nightmares that would cloud their minds when they would merely slip into unconsciousness.</p><p>She knew what she dreamt about. Nya dreamt about dying. The venom burning through her veins as it destroyed and burned every cell in its path felt so vivid during these dreams. Nya would wake up and still feel the fantom pain on her chest. </p><p>She was getting used to it, but it was just as horrific reliving it in her most vulnerable state.</p><p>As for what Jay dreamt about, she had no idea. He would simply brush it off, turning his attention towards her. </p><p>"I'm fine, don't worry about me, Love. S'okay. You okay?"</p><p>Nya didn't question any further, because he was so fragile. He didn't know that Nya could hear him softly cry every night when they slept in the same futon.</p><p>They never touched each other. Never cuddled and barely held hands. They needed each other, they needed each other's company. A physical relationship wasn't really important. They needed to figure out how to deal with everything first.</p><p>Nya wouldn't let anyone know it, but a part of her was depended on him. She went to him every night, and as time progressed Nya stopped sneaking out of her room and went to bed with him. Being in each other's company while sleeping has become a habit. Nya needed him, she couldn't be without him. She was too embarrassed to let anyone know that she, the same Nya who made a point of being independent, was no dependant on him.</p><p>She was quite scared to ask him about his dreams. She was worried that, in his already fragile state, she would crack the glass he was seemingly made out of. She didn't want him to cry. Nya hated seeing her loved ones cry.</p><p>Nya's three-week-sleeping-alone streak was ended by someone viciously tapping on her shoulder. She thought she was dreaming since she was sputtering in and out of consciousness. She groaned and wrapped herself her kakebuton like a makeshift cocoon.</p><p>"Nya!" Someone whispered again and poked her shoulder harder, clearly annoyed at her exhausted groaning.</p><p>Her eyes shot open and so did her hand, forming a first within a millisecond and landing a blow to the intruder's nose.</p><p>"Ah! Shit, woman! Why'dya do that?"</p><p>"Lloyd?" she asked, not answering his hissing, "Why are you in my room at this time?" She groaned and reached her hand for her bedside lamp.</p><p>She yanked the string down and grimaced as light flooded the room. Her eyes stung and she shut them tightly to get used to the sudden change in lighting.</p><p>Lloyd was still crouched down next to her futon, clutching his nose that thankfully wasn't bleeding.</p><p>"Because," he growled and sat on the bed next to her, "I need to talk to you about something."</p><p>Nya rolled her eyes.</p><p>"Lloyd," She started and stared at her alarm that flashed the current time in bright red, "It's two AM. Can't it wait?"</p><p>"It's about Jay," He stated.</p><p>Nya sat up more, bringing the soft blanket cocoon with her.</p><p>"What about him?" She inquired.</p><p>Lloyd sat on her futon, crossed his legs and looked her straight in her droopy eyes. He looked more serious than he usually did. That line of worry between his eyebrows seemed to be more visible than usual.</p><p>"Nya, I know that you know, that I know, that you know what's wrong."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"What's wrong with him?"</p><p>"Why do you ask?"</p><p>Lloyd groaned, "Okay, except seeing him constantly being tired, never eating, the weird change in behaviour and him not eating your face out in public, there is another problem."</p><p>Nya rested her head on her hand, that she reluctantly pulled out from her soft sanctuary.</p><p>She was sure that Lloyd would mention things that she already knew. </p><p>She was set on not telling him anything that took place. Nya promised Jay that she wouldn't, and she won't ever break a promise she made with one of the men she loved the most.</p><p>"I'm listening," She sighed.</p><p>"You don't seem interested in what's concerning your boyfriend at all," Lloyd replied in a rather sarcastic tone.</p><p>"I think I know what you're going to say, that's all. Also, I'm tired and I can't give stuff away to you. Jay's personal life is Jay's personal life. "</p><p>"Nya, when was the last time you slept with him? In the sense of having a lil' old sleepover? Don't look at me like that! You know what I mean," He whisper-shouted.</p><p>"Three weeks. Why do you ask? You're worrying me," Nya said.</p><p>"Can you just, please go back to sleeping with him?" Lloyd begged softly, "I just, I'm worried about him. His room is on top of mine and he keeps on pacing back and forth.</p><p>"Not only do I lose sleep from this, but he does as well. Whatever is going on, Nya, it needs to stop. He won't tell me anything and I know you know what's going on.</p><p>"I'm not going to play the leader, Nya. You're going to have to deal with this. Not to be a Sensei Wu or anything, but this is in your hands now. I've done what I could. He doesn't want my help and I'm getting scared that I can't do anything to fix whatever is wrong.</p><p>"Please, Nya. Help my older brother. Do what you need to do to bring him back. I don't know what to do anymore."</p><p>"He told me he was sleeping fine?" It came out more like a question. She didn't want to answer questions. Her lips were sealed. </p><p>"Of course he did, Nya. He acts like he doesn't want help but right now it feels like I'm the only person seeing through his facade. Let's just go. I'm tired and I've tried talking to him, but of course, he won't let me help him," Lloyd snapped and dug his nails into his scalp.</p><p>Nya rose without a word and followed Lloyd to the top floor, the only floor with one bedroom. The other rooms were on the floor beneath it. Nya anxiously skipped ahead of Lloyd; trying to keep quiet at the same time. It was only two AM, after all.</p><p>She made her way to Jay's door and Lloyd returned to his own without a word. </p><p>She slowly opened his door and closed it behind her. His room was illuminated by the moonlight and she could make out the still figure on the futon. She crept to his side, and to her surprise, he was wide awake. He stared at her with concern from what she could tell. His room was neater than it usually was. He gave his room a scrub out once a week. Nya knew where he got that habit from. Old habits die hard, she guessed.</p><p>"Nya?" He whispered and lifted himself. He wasn't dazed or half asleep. He had really been awake for a long time. "Are you okay?"</p><p>He scooted to make some space for her and she gratefully slipped under his kakebuton, wrapping it around her shoulders. It smelled like rooibos. She hugged it tighter as it caressed her cheek. It was definitely something that could knock her out within seconds. </p><p>"Yeah, but I'm worried about you, Jay," She whispered back. </p><p>They were facing each other with a small space between them. Jay refused to go to close to her, or anyone for that matter.</p><p>Nya reached out her hand and quickly grabbed Jay's. He flinched but he calmed down quickly. Nya's thumb rubbed smooth, soft circles into his skin. She scooted a bit closer and surprisingly, he didn't move back.</p><p>"About what? You don't have to worry about me."</p><p>She reached up a hand to touch his face. "I do and I think it's important that we help you. At least let me help you. You know we love you," she said.</p><p>His blue's followed her hands every movement and when it touched his freckle splattered cheek, he didn't back away. Maybe he was finally opening up again.</p><p>"I don't need to be worried about."</p><p>"And why is that?" Nya whispered, her thumb stroking his cheek.</p><p>"It's my punishment."</p><p>Nya frowned before she realised what he was referring to.</p><p>"You've been punished enough. You don't need to beat yourself over this. We're okay."</p><p>Jay stayed silent and his eyes stared anywhere except Nya's. </p><p>"We need to talk."</p><p>"'Bou'what?" He asked. </p><p>"You."</p><p>"What about me?"</p><p>She sighed and smiled sweetly.</p><p>"Jay, you know I care for you. You're hurting right now, and you don't deserve this. You don't deserve to keep this to yourself. I'm asking you now if it would be okay for you to tell me what happened on that ship."</p><p>Jay was reluctant to answer, "I-I don't know Nya. To be honest, I'm really ashamed of what I let happen to me."</p><p>"I'm not going to shame you. You can't let this hurt you. I'm here for you, Jay, now let me help you," She pleaded, her thumb still running soft circles on his cheek.</p><p>"If you're ready, and you think it would help you, tell me what happened to you."</p><p>He nodded as a glistening pearl rolled down his cheek like a necklace come undone.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you for reading :) Let me know if you liked or disliked anything in this chapter or even something you would like to see in future chapters.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Pit</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Nya and Jay get cuddly, as the beginning of Jay's life on the Misfortune's Keep gets told from his perspective.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm trying something new and I hope the jumping around won't be too much of a bother. I'm counting on y'all to let me know what you think. This will determine if I'll follow this same format in the future or try something else :)</p><p>I will follow along the basic story line of skybound, but I'll be switching a few things up, regarding Jay's time on the Misfortune's Keep. We've all seen it, so why not switch it up a bit?</p><p>WARNINGS : swearing, slight injury</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"I can't right now."</p><p>"That's okay. You don't have to tell me anything. I jus' don't like seeing you like this," Nya said, still stroking his now wet cheek.</p><p>"I'm sorry for worrying you and Lloyd," Jay sniffed and looked down at his lap. His fingers fiddled with his kakebuton.</p><p>"Don't apologise. This isn't your fault. Lloyd was just upset. No one is mad at you. They're all confused." </p><p>"I know why he's upset," Jay groaned.</p><p>"Why?" Nya asked and reached for Jay's hand. He didn't flinch this time.</p><p>"Do you remember at the lighthouse when you, uhm, saw..." Jay swallowed and Nya squeezed Jay's hand.</p><p>"Your back?" </p><p>Jay bit his lip.</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"What about it?" </p><p>"Promise you won't be mad?"</p><p>"Why would I-"</p><p>"Just promise me, please."</p><p>"I promise." She whispered. She was curious about what those old injuries had to do with upsetting Lloyd. Did Jay tell Lloyd about what happened? There was no way, Jay didn't even want to tell her what happened.</p><p>Jay let go of Nya's hand and reached for the hem of his shirt. In a flash, he pulled it upwards and Nya immediately gasped as she saw that the horrific cuts that she remembered seeing were still there, healed. How was it possible? They erased the entire timeline!</p><p>He wasn't sickly looking and malnourished as what he looked back then. The wounds were healed and scarred over, but there were still there.</p><p>"How? Those don't belong on you." She whispered.</p><p>"I don't know, Nya. There's no logical explanation for this. Lloyd came up earlier and he saw it. Took him to bed afterwards. He promised he wouldn't tell anyone... and I trust him," Jay told her.</p><p>It might have been early in the morning, but the moonlight still illuminated his chest. The lashes and cuts were fully headed, only leaving scars to remind those who see them of the horror they represent.</p><p>Jay stared as Nya's hand as she moved it to touch a particularly long scar that made its way from under his armpit across his abdomen. His muscles flexed instinctively and he swallowed at the touch. At least he wasn't as starved and skinny than what he was when these were fresh wounds. Nya still couldn't get that image out of her head.</p><p>She looked up at him, but his eyes were more focused on his folded hands.</p><p>She crawled closer pulled him into a hug and after a few seconds, he hugged back. She ran her hands through his hair as his face hid in the corner connecting her neck and shoulder. </p><p>"I'm so sorry," He mumbled after a comfortable silence surrounded the two in their embrace.</p><p>"Don't be, we're okay. You're okay."</p><p>His hands were gentle on her lower back and they held each other close. </p><p>It wasn't until Nya tried to pull away after what felt like hours of the most comfortable and warm hug she's had in a while that she realised that Jay had fallen fast asleep in her arms.</p><p>...</p><p>"What do you do around here for fun?"</p><p>"F- fun?"</p><p>"Yeah, fun. There must something you do here to have a little bit of fun!"</p><p>"W-Well, I'm h-having f-fun," Clancee stuttered joyfully and dragged his wet mop over the clean and freshly varnished wooden deck.</p><p>Jay rolled his eyes and dragged his mop with one arm, since his other one was ripped out of its socket - after Nadakhan grabbed him mid-air as the ladder snapped beneath his fingertips - and was hugged close to his chest. He would try and pop it back into its place later.</p><p>"Cap'n r-really h-hurt your arm b-badly, d-d-didn' he?" The serpent said while giving him a sympathetic glance. He tried to look menacing, but Clancee was as harmless as a puppy or even a butterfly.</p><p>Jay nodded his head 'no' and hummed while plopping his mop into the bucket of clear water. This area has been scrubbed from top to bottom, but he was forced to clean it three times, thanks to Jay's persistence in not 'wishing it all away'. Jay was no fool.</p><p>Clancee, however, had no problem with cleaning a certain area three times within the same day.</p><p>"I deserve it, really," Jay shrugged it off; once again trying to act stronger than he really was. Truth be told, he was terrified. Terrified of what would happen to him here and terrified that his friends would desert him. As Jay said, he deserved it, really.</p><p>"W-why would ya say that?"</p><p>"I got myself into this shit. I dragged my friends through a string of lies and hell; this is the least I deserve," Jay said with a shrug of his uninjured shoulder.</p><p>The green serpent opened his mouth to give a sweet reply, but his soft expression turned to that of a menacing one.</p><p>He tried, at least.</p><p>"Yes, a-and now you w-will b-break into g-giving up y-your last w-wi-wish! Ahaha!"</p><p>For the first time that day, Jay smiled. Clancee was too precious to be on a pirate ship, too precious to make a threatening statement.</p><p>If he ever got out of there, he would just take the poor thing; who wouldn't? Where would be the harm in that?</p><p>The harm would be if he ever made it out alive, of course.</p><p>"Have you made your last wish?" Jay asked, throwing back an equally menacing but playful look.</p><p>"N-no, Clancee doesn't n-need any wishes; he's just h-happy as he is," Clancee sung, still mopping the floor without a care in the world.</p><p>Jay felt like he could relate to Clancee. He had spent the whole day by his side under the scorching sun. He was a talker, just as he was and loved putting up a brave front. </p><p>Just like he did.</p><p>Jay would be happy to talk without the person on the receiving end wishing to get out of said conversation and situation as soon as they could.</p><p>It was unfortunate that Jay wasn't his chatty self that evening. He was boiling over with stress, guilt fear and he couldn't ignore the anxiety buzzing at the back of his skull.</p><p>He was not worried about himself, but rather his three remaining friends who were stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere. He hoped that they would get helped soon. </p><p>Jay considered giving up his last wish to wish his friends to a safe place, but then he remembered that wishing was what got him where he was at that moment.</p><p>"Why stay here then? I'm sure you can wish to stay somewhere else without Nadakhan turning your words against you," Jay said and plopped down onto the wet deck; the iron ball attached to his ankle rolling around.</p><p>"I alr-ready have a h-home."</p><p>Jay simply hummed in response, deep in thought.</p><p>The sun was setting behind the line of the ocean he was able to see, changing the sky into a vast variety of pastels. The clouds were caressed by the sun's last rays; their edges looked like they were softly stroked with gold.</p><p>Jay couldn't help but admire the soft canvas before his eyes, even though he knew that shit was about to hit the fan for him. He missed home and he missed watching the sunsets with his parents back in the Sea of Sands. </p><p>Hopefully, they still loved him, for he loved them so.</p><p>Nadakhan gave Clancee a home, as he said before. Would that mean that Nadakhan wouldn't harm him?</p><p>Jay prayed to any being listening that Nadakhan would just attempt to annoy him or force him to do hard labour to make his last wish. </p><p>Jay was a ninja. He could handle hard labour. He had done many similar activities as endurance exercises years ago.</p><p>Jay might not be the best, hell, he might even be the worst ninja to ever set foot in Ninjago, but he was still a ninja. Ninja never quit and neither would he.</p><p>His motivation shone through when he had to scrub the bottom of the deck with nothing more than an old, worn-out toothbrush that evening.</p><p>To make things harder, he was not relieved of the heavy ball connected to his ankle. He had to use his only good arm to keep himself from falling to his demise in the water below.</p><p>It was painful, but he had to use his injured arm to scrub the bottom of the deck.</p><p>He didn't even last five minutes. Flintlocke pulled him back on board.</p><p>"Ya ain't in no shape te work, boy," Flintlocke told him and sent him on his way.</p><p>Realisation hit Jay. They were not going to go easy on him.</p><p>"We don't wanta kill em, Cap'ns orders," He told a confused Dogshank. She huffed and stomped away to go do, well, whatever that beast of a woman does.</p><p>"Dinner time, boys!" a voice yelled, shocking Jay out of his trance.</p><p>Jay doubted that he would be fed a crumb, but followed Clancee anyway.</p><p>....</p><p>Jay quietly sat with his back against the wooden wall. As his gut told him, he got nothing to eat and had to watch the other crew members dig their faces into warm porridge.</p><p>The Misfortune's Keep was cold at night.</p><p>Jay fiddled with his fingers and continued worrying about his friends, ignoring the hunger in his stomach.</p><p>His body was rotting due to regret and guilt.</p><p>He knew now that his actions were stupid. It was too late.</p><p>How was it possible that he can fuck something up so badly. He was Jay Walker; the name said it all. Or was it Gordon? It didn't matter, really. None of those really wanted him anyway. He wouldn't really want him either.</p><p>He was forced down on them, just as his stupid and selfish wishes was forced down on his team.</p><p>Jay interrupted himself; his stomach did, at least.</p><p>He ignored the growling in his stomach and looked up to see Flintlocke standing above the holding he was thrown into.</p><p>"Okay, boy, let's fix that arm o'yours," Flintlocke said and reached out an arm to Jay.</p><p>Jay knew he had no choice, so he shakily stood up holding his arm close to his body and gave reached his unharmed arm up to Flintlocke. The pirate hoisted him up out of the pit.</p><p>Before Jay could react, Flintlocke grabbed his arm and clicked it right into place.</p><p>The pain.</p><p>You deserve this. Your friends are suffering. Grow a pair and deal with it.</p><p>The pain he believed he inflicted on his friends hurt more than when he got pushed into that pit that would become his shelter for god knows how long.</p><p>Jay could barely let out a yelp before he crashed face-first into cold, hard concrete.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the switching of narration from Jay to Nya at the beginning of the hospital roof scene.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>